Genevieve Burda went from a quick jog to a full sprint.
The Benet freshman trailed senior midfielder Annie Fitzgerald as the Redwings looked to score first during Saturday’s nonconference game at Providence. Fitzgerald rolled a pass to Ivana Vukas near the right corner, cueing Burda to race for position at the left edge of the box.
Reaching her spot just in time, Burda fielded a perfect cross from Vukas and booted the ball into the goal to put Benet on the board in the ninth minute. The Redwings led the rest of the way, controlling the middle third and applying consistent pressure in a 2-0 win over the Celtics. Benet (8-0) remained undefeated to start the season.
“I was a little far behind at first and I was like, ‘I gotta get up there,’” Burda said. “Ivana’s a great winger and I knew she was going to get me the ball. It was a calm finish ... We know we’re all going to press together, so that gives all of us the motivation to stick together.”
Both Benet and Providence (7-2-1) had chances early. The Celtics earned their first corner in the sixth minute and a shot by Bailey Ortiz went just wide of target. Shortly after, senior midfielder Alyssa Thulin ripped the first of her three shots on goal in the game. The ball sailed over the net, deflecting off the football crossbar out of play.
“We made two mistakes,” Providence coach Mike Taylor said. “We were controlling the flow of play, but they came down, went across and put one in the back post. We hit the crossbar and had a couple of chances ... We played a heck of a game. I said to the girls at the end that we played one of the best teams around. We won’t see better than that.”
The Redwings controlled the tempo from there, cutting off Providence passes and settling the ball for quick vertical movement up the field. Benet posted quality shots on goal in the 21st and 26th minutes, just missing on a cross before Gabriella Raczka saved a hard rip by Benet midfielder Megan Bergman. Raczka totaled six saves for the Celtics.
“The two things our coaches talked about at the beginning of the game were scanning and communication,” Fitzgerald said. “I’m very grateful that I have a backline behind me to give me information I need, like if I can turn or play for the ball. I’ve understood how the people in front of me play, so all of our lines have good chemistry.”
Providence earned a free kick in the 37th minute, but the Celtics were unable to convert their set piece into an equalizer. Still trailing 1-0, Providence had perhaps its best chance to tie during the 70th minute. Thulin fielded a cross inside the box and blasted a shot on goal, but a leaping effort from Benet’s Giada McGlynn deflected the ball upward.
The deflection forced the ball off the crossbar before the Redwings managed to clear and extinguish the threat. McGlynn, who recorded four saves in the shutout win, said that her experience playing with Thulin, a club teammate of hers, allowed her to anticipate the play.
“I knew she was going to take that shot,” McGlynn said. “She took one earlier around the 15th minute and it was the same shot. I knew that she was looking to chip it over me, so I got back to my line and put it up. I knew we had to keep the energy up and it was a big save.”
Capitalizing on McGlynn’s clutch save, Benet responded with the goal that put the game out of reach for Providence. Standing roughly 15 yards away, sophomore Chloe Reifsnyder launched a long-range shot that soared through the air. The ball flew under the bar and over the hand of Razcka, giving Benet a two-goal lead in the 71st minute.
“We knew we could get to them defensively, put pressure on them and maybe get a mistake out of them,” Taylor said. “We had a couple of chances, but that’s the game of soccer. I told them today to play with their minds. They have the skill and they played with their minds.”